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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28594104">in your best dress</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogworldchampion/pseuds/dogworldchampion'>dogworldchampion</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(but we don't have to die on it bc kel gets to pick her title freely isn't that great), Court Presentation, Dress, Gen, Inspired by Pierce quotes, Post-Canon, kel is a Lady Knight and this is an amazing hill to die on</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:55:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,085</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28594104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogworldchampion/pseuds/dogworldchampion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan smoothed her hands over the fine silk of her skirts for perhaps the hundredth time that evening. The grays and blues of the gown matched Mindelan colors perfectly, while its carefully planned silhouette left plenty of room for movement and a space for a belt and sword at her waist. Only Lalasa could have made a gown that looked so beautiful and fit so perfectly while still creating a garment perfectly suited for a knight.</p><p>----------</p><p>Kel returns from the north for Midwinter, three years after her foray into Scanra, to be introduced to the court for the first time as a Lady Knight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Yukimi noh Daiomoru/Nealan of Queenscove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>83</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>in your best dress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>from the prompt: kel + gown</p><p>inspired by the quote from tamora pierce, "Sir and Lady Knight are titles granted to individuals by the crown and aren’t passed on. Alanna prefers “Sir” because she was making a point. Kel prefers “Lady Knight” because she’s making a different point. Jon just throws up his hands and tells the Master of Ceremonies to ask the ladies for their preference." </p><p>i'm @the-pontiac-bandit on tumblr--let me know what you think, either in the comments here or in my inbox there!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p></p><div class="">
  <p>Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan smoothed her hands over the fine silk of her skirts for perhaps the hundredth time that evening. The grays and blues of the gown matched Mindelan colors perfectly, while its carefully planned silhouette left plenty of room for movement and a space for a belt and sword at her waist. Only Lalasa could have made a gown that looked so beautiful and fit so perfectly while still creating a garment suited for a knight, rather than a court beauty. After three years in the north, commanding a fort where a tunic without mud constituted formal wear, the fine fabrics, styled hair, and light face paint, carefully applied by Shinko and Yuki with the help of their maids in her rooms that afternoon, felt foreign.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Sir Nealan of Queenscove laughed at her fidgeting from somewhere behind her. “Nervous?” he asked, putting on his most insufferably superior drawl. He knew just as well as she did that she’d squirmed every inch of the ride south from New Hope that fall, terrified both of the court pageantry she’d been able to avoid since she was a squire and of her first reception at court since she’d technically committed light treason.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kel was preparing to turn, a biting retort on the tip of her tongue, but she could hear Yuki, moving faster than lightning to smack her husband on the shoulder with a fan. “As if you hadn’t spent the last fifteen minutes preening in the mirror like a parakeet,” she chastised him. After three long years of sharing a home with her best friends, who quarreled as an expression of love, she could see clearly in her mind’s eye Yuki smoothing the tunic over the shoulder she’d just tapped, using her other hand to push some stray lock of hair back into place.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The doors in front of her seemed to grow as she stood, trying to make herself stone, timing her breaths against the sounds of her pounding heart in an attempt to control both. She could hear the sounds on the other side, the roar of noble guests socializing, the twang of strings from the musicians in the corner nearest the door, even the clatter as some poor page dropped a tray. On the first night of Midwinter, she’d have given anything to be celebrating quietly in her rooms with their party from New Hope, her family, and her friends among Third Company, who, by some miracle of scheduling--or by some kindness of Raoul, were stationed at the palace for the winter. Her only comfort was that Raoul, who would have given more gold than she possessed to host just that party, was on the other side of the doors she faced, no doubt desperately wishing to hide behind some curtain while Buri kept a firm grip on his arm to keep him beside her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Truly, it will be fine,” said a soft voice over by her left ear. Kel started--in her preoccupation with the doors, she hadn’t noticed Yuki’s quiet movement to her side. “Three minutes, a bow you’ve been practicing since you were ten, and then you're free.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Free to exchange empty chatter in more finery than I’ve seen in half a decade,” Kel retorted, a touch of Fanche’s wry cynicism working its way into her voice.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Free to discuss border protection strategy with Lord Raoul in a corner while you both spy on the newest female pages,” Yuki retorted.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Plus, there’ll be crab cakes, with crabs fresh from Port Caynn,” Neal chimed in, walking over to join his wife at Kel’s side.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’d trade the crab for a good border patrol any day.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Liar.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Yuki chuckled as Kel reached behind her to pinch Neal’s arm instead of attempting to deny the accusation.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All three started when the smaller doors at their backs opened, letting the Master of Ceremonies into the robing chambers where they’d been waiting for their formal reintroductions to court.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Their majesties and their highnesses are ready to receive you,” he informed them, the formality in his voice standing in sharp contrast to their giggles over crabs from only a few seconds before.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We’re ready,” Yuki replied. Her suddenly courtly tones were belied by the small glimpse of motion Kel caught by their feet, where Yuki was using the disguise of her skirts to stomp on Neal’s toe, prompting him into the correct standing position.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Excellent. Sir Nealan of Queenscove?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Neal nodded, confirming his title with the herald.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Lady Yukimi noh Daiomoru of Queenscove?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When he received a nod in response from Yuki, he turned last to Kel. “And Sir Keladry of Mindelan?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kel paused for a moment to debate the necessity of her response. “Actually, I prefer Lady Knight.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Absolutely, my lady,” he acquiesced with a slight bow. “Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kel nodded, and the herald moved to one side, checking his tunic and hose in the full-length mirror on one side of the room once more before he opened those intimidating doors.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Neal took the opportunity to ask, his voice low, “Why the correction? Alanna’s always been Sir.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kel replied quickly and without thinking, her voice just as low. “Because I’m a lady knight. I’ve got the dress, don’t I?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Neal quirked a corner of his lips at her, a hidden smile over his wife’s head. She saw understanding in his green eyes, and the relief that even in this new context her oldest friend could grasp her meaning in so few words calmed her nerves.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master of Ceremonies bustled back over, placing them in order, with Neal in the front as the heir to a major duchy and Yuki at his right, Kel two steps behind them for her own introduction.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With a tap from the herald on the doors, they swung wide, the guards stationed on the other side pulling them open to admit the guests from New Hope. Neal and Yuki’s introduction was a blur that left applause ringing in her ears long after the room had quieted for King Jonathan’s and Prince Roald’s welcome to the couple. Then, all too soon, it was her turn, and the herald nudged her forward, a flash of sympathy on his face.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She focused on Yuki and Neal kneeling before the dais at the end of the long aisle and on Roald's kind face in front of them. The Master of Ceremonies' voice rang out as she stepped into the light of the room: “Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan!” </p>
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